Top Rated Documentary TV Series - Page 245

The Secret Rulers of the World

2001

The Secret Rulers of the World

2001
8.3
The Secret Rulers of the World was first shown on Channel 4 in April 2001. The five-part documentary series accompanied creator Jon Ronson's book 'Them: Adventures with Extremists', which covered similar topics and described many of the same episodes. Both the series and book detail Ronson's encounters following theorists and activists residing outside political, religious, and sociological norms.
Totally Gay!

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Totally Gay!

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Totally Gay! is a 2003 television special on VH1 that discusses gay pop culture in the United States. The content of the show includes the hottest sitcoms, newest gay icons, and the most popular dog breed. The somewhat light-hearted tone of the show was balanced at the end by narrator Trev Broudy discussing the assault that he had suffered shortly before the program was recorded, which left him with permanent brain damage. Totally Gay! was followed by a sequel in 2004 called Totally Gayer.
The Root of All Evil?

2006

The Root of All Evil?

2006
8
The Root of All Evil?, later retitled The God Delusion, is a television documentary written and presented by Richard Dawkins in which he argues that humanity would be better off without religion or belief in God. The documentary was first broadcast in January 2006, in the form of two 45-minute episodes, on Channel 4 in the UK. Dawkins has said that the title The Root of All Evil? was not his preferred choice, but that Channel 4 had insisted on it to create controversy. The sole concession from the producers on the title was the addition of the question mark. Dawkins has stated that the notion of anything being the root of all evil is ridiculous. Dawkins' book The God Delusion, released in September 2006, goes on to examine the topics raised in the documentary in greater detail. The documentary was rebroadcast on the More4 channel on the 25 August 2010 under the title of The God Delusion.
Cutting Edge

1990

Cutting Edge

1990
7
The flagship documentary series show distinctive, compelling films that offer a snapshot of life in Britain today.
Culloden

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Culloden

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Culloden is a 1964 docudrama written and directed by Peter Watkins for BBC TV. It portrays the 1746 Battle of Culloden that resulted in the British Army's destruction of the Scottish Jacobite uprising and, in the words of the narrator, "tore apart forever the clan system of the Scottish Highlands". Described in its opening credits as "an account of one of the most mishandled and brutal battles ever fought in Britain", Culloden was hailed as a breakthrough for its cinematography as well as its use of non-professional actors and its presentation of an historical event in the style of modern TV war reporting. The film was based on John Prebble's study of the battle.
Micro Live

1983

Micro Live

1983
8.3
Micro Live was a BBC2 TV series produced by David Allen as part of the BBC's Computer Literacy Project. The series was broadcast live and covered a wide range of computer-related topics, featuring various microcomputers beyond the BBC Micro. The first program was a two-hour special on 2 October 1983, called Making the Most of the Micro Live. A regular monthly series began in October 1984, followed by weekly half-hour programs in 1985 and 1986. The series ended in 1987. Micro Live had a less formal feel due to its live nature and included stories from the US, such as the first on-air transatlantic cellphone call made during a snowstorm.
History's Lost & Found

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History's Lost & Found

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History's Lost and Found is a television show from the History Channel first aired in 1999. Each episode is divided into different segments concerning a different "lost" item or artifact from history. Most of the time, the segments do not relate. Each segment runs around 7 minutes and in this time we learn the history, of several famous lost artifacts such as the flags from the Battle of Iwo Jima, and other not so famous artifacts like the first TV Dinner tray. Each segment ends with information on where this item is located. Some segments were reused in other episodes. Episodes of the show were released on VHS in 2001 and the first episode has been released on DVD. 2000 was the big year for the series as most of the episodes were created and aired during that year, but a few new episodes aired 4 years later in 2004. The series is based on the book "Lucy's Bones, Sacred Stones and Einstein's Brain" by Harvey Rachlin. The series was produced by Atlas Media Corporation. Executive Producer: Bruce David Klein
KinK

2001

KinK

2001
3.3
KinK was a Canadian documentary television series, which first aired in 2001 on Showcase. The series profiled some of the more unusual edges of human sexuality, primarily the kink and fetish scenes. It was filmed in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg; the fifth season, set in Halifax, Nova Scotia, first aired in September 2006. KinK was produced by Vancouver's Paperny Films.
My Fabulous Gay Wedding

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My Fabulous Gay Wedding

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3.3
My Fabulous Gay Wedding is a Canadian reality show hosted by comedian Scott Thompson in the first season and Elvira Kurt in the second. The series airs on the Global Television Network. It is re-broadcast in the U.S. as First Comes Love, on Logo. In the first season, the show features a same-sex couple that plans to marry; the arrangements for the wedding are prepared, on two weeks' notice, by a team of wedding planners who are both heterosexual and homosexual. As with typical, Western heterosexual weddings, the general idea is to create a unique experience that reflects the personality of the people to be wed, while adding a special gay sensibility. The spirit of the program is one of fun. In the second season, with new host Elvira Kurt, the stories concentrate more on the couples than the wedding planning process. The team of wedding planners has been reduced to one: Fern Cohen. This season debuted on Logo in February 2007. Through interviews with the family members, the show also explores the issue of same-se
Mary Queen of Shops

2007

Mary Queen of Shops

2007
6.7
Mary, Queen Of Shops is hosted by Mary Portas. Mary attempts to help smaller fashion retail outlets survive in a tough market against the bigger retail stores.
J-MELO

2005

J-MELO

2005
6.7
J-MELO is a weekly Japanese music television program broadcast by NHK. It is recorded entirely in the English language. It began broadcasting on October 7, 2005. The program is available on NHK's World Service television station, Radio Japan, Digital Educational TV and on its Domestic General Channel.
W5

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W5

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Avery Haines leads the new W5 Investigative Unit, showcasing her daring and immersive reporting.
The Most Extreme

2002

The Most Extreme

2002
7.7
The Most Extreme is a documentary television series on the American cable television network Animal Planet. It first aired on July 7, 2002. Each episode focuses on a specific animal feature, such as strength, speed, behavior, anatomy, or diet, and examines and ranks ten animals which portray extreme or unusual examples of that quality. Along with each animal on the countdown, all episodes present an animated segment which compares the animal's ability to something equivalent in humans, followed by interviews with people who share a common trait. Old, often public domain, cartoons, movie clips and trailers are typically included.
Zembla

1995

Zembla

1995
9.3
Zembla is a Dutch television documentary programme by VARA and NPS. The documentaries are based on in-depth research which can take months. The subjects are often controversial. A documentary in 2001 about fraud in the Dutch construction sector led to parliamentary inquiries. In May 2006 the programme exposed the fact that politician Ayaan Hirsi Ali had lied in her claim for asylum, which led to her resignation from parliament.
Def Poetry

2002

Def Poetry

2002
8
Def Poetry, also known as Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry or Def Poetry Jam, which was co-founded by Bruce George, Danny Simmons and Deborah Pointer, is an HBO television series produced by hip-hop music entrepreneur Russell Simmons. The series presents performances by established spoken word poets, as well as up-and-coming ones. Well-known actors and musicians will often surprise the audience by showing up to recite their own original poems. The show is hosted by Mos Def. Def Poetry is a spin-off of Def Comedy Jam. As he did on Def Comedy, Simmons appears at the end of every episode to thank the audience.
SexTV

1998

SexTV

1998
4
SexTV is a Canadian documentary television series which explores many issues about human sexuality. The show premiered in 1998 and spun off a television channel called SexTV: The Channel in 2001. The series uses two Leonard Cohen songs, "Everybody Knows" and "Ain't No Cure for Love", as theme music.
Bindi, the Jungle Girl

2007

Bindi, the Jungle Girl

2007
9
Bindi the Jungle Girl is an Australian children's television nature documentary series, presented by Bindi Irwin, the daughter of Steve and Terri Irwin. The series is produced and shot in Queensland by The Best Picture Show Company for Discovery Kids and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The first series was scheduled for 26 episodes, and ran from 9 June 2007 until 31 May 2008 on American networks Discovery Kids and simulcast on Animal Planet and on ABC1 in Australia from 18 July 2007. Also appearing on the show are Bindi's mother Terri, her younger brother Robert, and Steve Irwin's "best mate" and director of Australia Zoo, Wes Mannion. Bindi performs songs and dances with a group called the Crocmen, and answers questions from viewers in the "Bindi's Blog" segment. It was aired on Playtime Krumeater. Steve Irwin appeared in several episodes filmed prior to his death in 2006. The second series was produced after his death, but he appears in archive footage in a segment named "Croc Hunter Unplugged", and is
Heritage Minutes

1991

Heritage Minutes

1991
7.3
Heritage Minutes, also known officially as Historica Minutes: History by the Minute, are a series of sixty-second short films, each illustrating an important moment in Canadian history. They appear frequently on Canadian television and in cinemas before movies and are now also sold on DVD. The Minutes were first introduced on March 31, 1991 as part of a one-off heavily-promoted history quiz show hosted by Rex Murphy. The thirteen original short films were broken up and run between shows on CBC Television and CTV Network. The continued broadcast of the Minutes and the production of new ones was pioneered by Charles Bronfman's CRB Foundation, Canada Post Power Broadcasting, and the National Film Board. They were devised, developed and largely narrated by noted Canadian broadcaster Patrick Watson, while the producer of the series was Robert Guy Scully. In 2009 Historica merged with The Dominion Institute to become The Historica-Dominion Institute. While the foundations have not paid networks to air Minutes, they hav
Dominick Dunne's Power, Privilege, and Justice

2002

Dominick Dunne's Power, Privilege, and Justice

2002
7.3
Dominick Dunne's Power, Privilege, and Justice is an American crime TV series that examined real-life cases of crime, passion, and greed involving privileged or famous people. The episodes were shown on truTV and on Star TV in Canada as well as Zone Reality in Europe and Bio. in Australia. The host of the show was Dominick Dunne. The nine-season series started in 2002 and ended in late 2009 with Dunne's death.
World War One

1964

World War One

1964
7.7
This historical survey of the First World War was produced and aired by CBS to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the opening of hostilities. The series used footage that was shot during the era of the war. Much of the footage had never been aired on television before.